A splice closure that contains 432 fibre cables successful Louisville, Kentucky, connected April 19, 2021. The Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas has received much than $2.6 cardinal from the national authorities to instal fibre for broadband. (Reuters/Amira Karaoud, Reuters/Amira Karaoud)

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LUBBOCK — The Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas has received much than $2.6 cardinal from the national authorities to instal fibre for broadband.

The assistance volition assistance bring 354 unserved Native American households and businesses online. The assistance is portion of the Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program though the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration.

The NTIA announced it awarded 23 grants totaling much than $601.6 million, bringing the programme full to $1.35 cardinal awarded to 94 tribal entities nationwide.

The assistance is the latest update from national and authorities governments that person been working connected connecting much Texans to broadband access. According to information from the U.S. Census Bureau, astir 7 cardinal Texans deficiency broadband access.

The Kickapoo Traditional Tribe, which is conscionable southbound of Eagle Pass adjacent the U.S.-Mexico border, volition person $2,623,357 successful funds. The people has a colonisation of 1,095 members and is 1 of the 3 federally recognized Native American tribes successful Texas.

“On behalf of the tribal assembly and the tribe, I americium truthful pleased that the people was fixed an grant to amended the tribe’s net system,” said Juan Garza Jr., seat of the Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas. “This strategy volition assistance the tribal members to person a bully net transportation and person amended connection with their schoolwork, with work, oregon conscionable communicating with their friends and family.”

The funds volition beryllium utilized to put successful high-speed net web deployment and integer skills grooming to amended entree to education, jobs and wellness attraction connected Tribal lands with qualifying broadband work astatine speeds of 120/20 Mbps.

“We are making an historical concern successful tribal communities to guarantee reliable, affordable high-speed net for all,” Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo said. “These grants — made imaginable by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law — underscore President [Joe] Biden’s committedness to closing the integer disagreement successful the United States, particularly wrong tribal lands. Today’s awards volition not lone physique high-speed net capableness wrong tribal nations, but besides bring integer opportunities for good-paying jobs, acquisition and wellness care.”

2022 Texas Tribune